Today we’d like to introduce you to Q. Solo
Hi Q., can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Q. Solo’s aka Q U E story is as uniquely Houston as the city itself. He wasn’t born with a microphone in his hand (though he knows how to use one), but a pencil. His dad, a sketch artist with calloused hands and a storyteller’s heart, taught him the power of a single line, the way it could capture a mood, a memory, a whole world.
Growing up in Sunnyside, through illustrative art; his grandmother recognized his potential & enrolled him into a vocational school; The Art Institute of Houston, where Q. Solo found his love for film. He took a fundamental film class and discovered for himself that film wasn’t just entertainment; it was art, it was history, it was the culmination of everything his dad had taught him.
QUE wasn’t just a filmmaker; he was a storyteller. He saw the power of the camera to tell a story, to evoke emotion, to transport the viewer to another world. He started making short films, music videos, business commercials, skits & anywhere that he could showcase his new found love. Q. Solo found his voice, not with a pencil, but with a lens. He soon came to realize that sometimes, the most powerful stories weren’t scripted; they were lived.
QUE began wanting to capture the stories of the people around him, the entrepreneurs, the artists, the entertainers and the everyday people that make our communities thrive. He wanted to give them a platform, a space to share their journeys, their struggles along with their triumphs. That’s how “Da Number 1 Spot Variety Show” (NOS) was born. NOS, hosted by QUE and his childhood friend Buc Buc, originated as an ‘In Living Color’ or ‘SNL’ styled variety show that showcased skits, live performances, videos, round table discussions, interviews & more. ‘Da Number 1 Spot Network’ isn’t just about entertainment; it is about the hustle, the drive, the creativity, the unique blend of grit and grace that defines and fuels Houston’s vibrant culture”, said QUE!
Da Number 1 Spot has over 15 years of sustainability as a media outlet platform for performing artists, poets, pastors, attorneys, entrepreneurs, street scholars, you name it! It began airing on Houston Media Source (winning 3 awards) and DVD’s as its only outlet. Da Number 1 Spot Network now can be found on various platforms and media outlets like the Zeal TV app, that can be accessed on RokuTv and AmazonTv as well as Danumber1spotnetwork.com. It also runs in syndication on Houston Media Source, Vimeo, YouTube & more!
In an effort to continue providing his viewers great content creations and podcast, Q. Solo has collaborated his production company Solo 1 Productionz with several powerhouse companies to compose more projects and expand his creativity to the fullest such as: For Life Entertainment, Pirate Fame Visuals, Bip Beats and Awready Productions just to name a few.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of my biggest challenges was not knowing how to value my services. The film industry and videography is competitive, and not all films turn a profit and not all videos are valued when it comes to understanding what it takes to make good quality commercials or videos. This can make it difficult to sustain a career as a filmmaker or a videographer.
Because there are business tactics that must be followed in order to truly be recognized to make the big money in the industry of entertainment, the knowledge is not shared and I had to learn through experience. Learning through experience is very costly. You can lose family, money and sometimes good friends chasing that big break in this game. I feel that, if a person thinks it is easy, they need to ask around and see what other people think about making money in film and video productions.
Solo 1 Productionz has been around since 2004 and though we have had some success and made a lot of people satisfied with our service, we still have to constantly reinvent ourselves because now everybody thinks they can shoot movies, videos or make commercials on their phone. That alone is a major struggle. It is made on a phone and viewed on a phone. How will they gauge the real quality? Now, people want deals and the cycle continues. and not knowing what to charge, or at least somewhat afraid to charge more than I did because at the time I did not feel that my work was good enough, so I found myself always giving people deals.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
TV Host or Personality: On Da Number 1 Spot Variety show I am the main host and sometimes we have the other co-hosts and sometimes special artists that co-host. I make sure to bring the same energy or greater to all of my interviews 100% of the time, because that is what our special guests want to experience on our show.
There is a lot that goes into being a host. Here are several things that are a must to provide a great interview to your viewing audience:
You have to research your guests and find out things that they may not even remember. Your questions need to make sense or else it will be a win/lose instead of a win/win for the whole interview. When you interview do not ever over talk the interviewee. Try not to inject your life into theirs and take over the interview and make it about you. I have seen plenty of interviews that are like that these days. Coming from the classic ways of interviewing, that is the best way to do it from my perspective. There are many other things that make up a good interview, but researching should be in your top 3 to do first.
Da Number 1 Spot Variety Show
Zeal TV app: Roku TV or Amazon TV
Zeal Radio: 12 pm cst Every Wednesday, go to zealradio.com
YouTube: @danumber1spotnetwork
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/350247751
Instagram: instagram.com/danumber1spotnetwork
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Look for like minded people with your same interests but not necessarily your same strengths. You want to find people that you can learn from and also that can learn from you.
Also, look for people that have already been where you want to go. They could help prevent you from making the same mistakes they have made and save you money. They will also get you further in your career in a shorter period of time. You still have to do the work of course.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spiral-connections.com/4k-films
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/danumber1spotnetwork
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danumber1spotnetwork
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@danumber1spotnetwork
- Other: https://vimeo.com/350247751
Image Credits
Pirate Fame Visuals
